Track locking device for air cushion vehicles

Claim 1

In combination, an elongated monorail member including upper surface portions as well as opposite side generally horizontal downwardly facing lower surface portions, a monorail vehicle including a car body defining a longitudinal downwardly opening channel defined between depending opposite sides of said car body and in which said monorail member is embracingly received, said depending vehicle opposite sides including lower hollow panellike skirt portions supported for inwardly swinging beneath said lower surface portions to thereby interlock said vehicle on said monorail member against unrestricted upward movement relative to said monorail member, said opposite sides being hollow, said sides and said skirt portions including coacting structure communicating their interiors for free air flow therebetween when said lower portions are swung inwardly, said sides and the lower portions including air outlet openings for discharging air outwardly therefrom into the upper extremeity of said channel and upwardly toward said lower surfaces, respectively, and air pump means carried by said vehicle operative to pump large quantities of air under pressure into said opposite sides, said lower portions including roller means journaled therefrom and rollingly engagable with said lower surface portions when said lower skirt portions are swung inwardly thereunder, the portions of said vehicle defiNing the upper portion of said channel including friction pad means frictionally engageable with said upper surface portions as said vehicle is lowered downwardly over said monorail member, there being slight clearance between said pad means and said upper surface portions when said lower portions are swung only partly inwardly beneath said undersurface portions for a cushion of air to support said vehicle in elevated position relative to said upper surface portions, said roller means, when said lower skirt portions are swung fully inwardly beneath said undersurface portions, being rollingly engagable with said undersurface portions for pulling said vehicle downwardly relative to said upper surface portion so as to engage said friction pad means with said upper surface portions to brake said vehicle.